You are here:
WorldLII >>
Databases >>
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child - States Parties Reports >>
2002 >>
[2002] UNCRCSPR 20
Database Search
| Name Search
| Recent Documents
| Noteup
| LawCite
| Download
| Help
Cyprus - Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under Article 44 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child: Periodic reports of States parties due in 1998: Addendum [2002] UNCRCSPR 20; CRC/C/70/Add.16 (13 November 2002)
UNITED NATIONS
|
|
CRC
|
|
Convention on the Rights of the Child
|
Distr. GENERAL
CRC/C/70/Add.16 13 November
2002
Original: ENGLISH
|
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES
UNDER
ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Second periodic reports of States parties due in 1998
CYPRUS[∗]
[15 September 2000]
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Page
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
1 - 9 4
II. IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC ARTICLES
OF THE CONVENTION
10 - 202 4
Article 1 10 - 11 4
Article 2 12 - 15 5
Article 3 16 - 17 5
Article 4 18 - 25 6
Article 5 26 6
Article 6 27 - 31 7
Article 7 32 7
Article 8 33 7
Article 9 34 - 37 8
Article 10 38 9
Article 11 39 9
Article 12 40 9
Article 13 41 9
Article 14 42 9
Article 15 43 - 49 9
Article 16 50 - 51 10
Article 17 52 - 53 10
Article 18 54 - 57 10
Article 19 58 - 60 11
Article 20 61 11
Article 21 62 - 64 12
Article 22 65 - 66 12
Article 23 67 - 77 13
Article 24 78 - 103 14
CONTENTS (continued)
Paragraphs Page
Article 25 104 18
Article 26 105 - 111 18
Article 27 112 - 113 19
Article 28 114 - 128 20
Article 29 129 - 136 24
Article 30 137 - 145 25
Article 31 146 - 155 26
Article 32 156 - 159 27
Article 33 160 - 176 28
Article 34 177 - 181 31
Article 35 182 - 185 32
Article 36 186 - 187 32
Article 37 188 - 189 32
Article 38 190 33
Article 39 191 - 193 33
Article 40 194 - 195 33
Article 41 196 33
Article 42 197 34
Article 44 198 - 202 35
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
- Cyprus
signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 5 October 1990 and ratified
it by Law No. 243 of 1990 (Official Gazette of the Republic, No. 2566, 28
December 1990.
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services (of the Ministry of Labour and Social
Insurance) coordinated the preparation of the initial
report (CRC/C/8/Add.24)
and a written reply (CRC/C/11/WP.3) to the questions set out by the Committee on
the Rights of the Child.
The two documents were submitted to the Committee
in 1994 and 1996, respectively.
- Governmental
and non-governmental bodies contributed to the preparation of both
reports.
- The
Committee on the Rights of the Child held three meetings on the Cyprus report
on 4 and 5 June 1996. Representatives of Cyprus
went to Geneva and
discussed the report.
- On
the whole, the concluding observations of the Committee (CRC/C/15/Add.59) were
encouraging as concerns the standing of Cyprus in
relation to the implementation
of the Convention.
- The
Committee expressed concerns and made recommendations to the Government of
Cyprus on some issues which required further processing
in order to improve
conformity with the provisions of the Convention.
- According
to article 44 of the Convention every five years States parties should submit a
progress report to the Committee as regards
further measures adopted towards the
implementation of the Convention.
- The
present report has been monitored by the National Institution for the Protection
of Human Rights. As mentioned in previous reports,
the Government of Cyprus
regrets the fact that, owing to the continuing Turkish occupation of 1974, it
cannot secure the implementation
of the Convention in almost half of the island.
The report refers only to the government-controlled area of Cyprus.
- The
following section of this report presents, article by article, the progress made
in the implementation of the Convention.
II. IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC ARTICLES OF THE
CONVENTION
Article 1
- The
Committee recommended more harmonization of national laws with the Convention
by:
(a) Changing the age of criminal responsibility (7
years);
(b) Treating 16-18-year-old offenders as children, not as
adults.
- As
far as these recommendations are concerned there has been further development
regarding the age of criminal responsibility, which
has been raised from the age
of 7 to the age of 10. There is no criminal responsibility up to the age
of 10. There is criminal
responsibility between the ages of 10 and 12 if it is
proved that during the act or omission, the child had the capacity to know
that he ought to have avoided the act or omission ((Amendment)
Law No. 15 (1)/1999).
Article 2
- The
Committee recommended that the Cyprus authorities take the necessary measures to
ensure that children born out of wedlock enjoy
all their fundamental
rights.
- The
family legislation regarding children, for example the children (Relationship
and Legal Status) Law of 1991 (187/1991), the Adoption
Law 1995 (19 (1)/1995),
the Relations between Parents and Children Law, 1990 (216/1990), the Family
Courts Law, 1990 (23/1990) and
the Family Courts (Religious Groups) Law, 1994
(87 (1)/1994) are in conformity with the Convention.
- The
Ministry of Justice and Public Order monitors this legislation and had close
cooperation with the Office of the Attorney-General
of the Republic, the Law
Commissioner, the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court and other official
public services to promote
the continuing improvement of the above
legislation.
- The
rights of children born out wedlock are secured by the Family Law and, in
particular, by the Children (Relationship and Legal
Status) Law of 1991 (No.
187/1991).
Article 3
- The
Republic of Cyprus secures the provision of article 3 as indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports. However, according
to the Committee this
principle is not fully respected in matters relating to
adoption.
- This
does not hold true since the most basic principle embedded in the legislation
and practices of the Department of Social Welfare
Services is to serve the best
interests of the child. In particular, the Adoption Law of 1995 (19 (1) of
1995) includes this principle
as a basic prerequisite of the adoption process.
Article 5 (1) (b) of the Law states that “the Court shall make the
adoption
order, if it is satisfied that the making of the adoption order will be
in the interest of the adopted taking into consideration
his wishes, if his age
and his spiritual capability permit that”.
Article 4
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services is in the process of computerization.
This is expected to promote:
(a) Quicker and more efficient
delivery of services;
(b) Monitoring of services.
- The
police also collect and file data and information regarding vulnerable groups of
children, for example children who are victims
of sexual abuse and exploitation,
drug users, etc.
- It
is worth mentioning that since 1999 the police have kept full statistical data
regarding young offenders. Thus, five cases were
reported to the police for the
year 1997 regarding the defilement of girls between 13 and 16 years and two true
cases of girls under
13 years of age. (See also annex II.)
- Since
June 1998, according to a circular by the General Attorney, the officers of the
social welfare services of the Ministry of Labour
and Social Insurance, the
Ministry of Health, the Police and the Ministry of Education and Culture are
obliged to inform the General
Attorney within seven days as regards any
reports/complaints/cases of abuse.
- Recently
the Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in the Family
started a study regarding systematic data
collection on compulsory reports to
the General Attorney.
- The
computerization of the Department of Social Welfare Services, which is at the
last stage, will help the collection of information
and data regarding children.
This will contribute to the formation of policy and the creation of necessary
services.
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services continues to foster instrumental
assistance to families in need. For example, the number
of home caregivers
hired either by the Government or NGOs (subsidized by the Government) is
steadily on the rise. Services have
expanded to more geographical
areas.
- The
most basic principle embedded in the legislation and practices of the Department
of Social Welfare Services is the aim to serve
the best interests of the child.
Adoption Law 19 (1) of 1995 includes this principle as a basic prerequisite of
the adoption process
(art. 5 of the Adoption Law 19 (1)/95).
Article 5
- Since
September 1997, the Department of Social Welfare Services has operated the
Centre for Family Guidance. A psychologist and a
welfare officer offer their
services to families with multiple and complex problems who are in need of
specialized counselling.
Cases are referred by welfare officers who are already
involved with those families.
Article 6
- In
response to the list of issues brought up in connection with the consideration
of the initial report of Cyprus, here are the following
latest health
indicators:
(a) Life Expectancy at birth: (1994-1996) -
males: 75.3 years, females: 79.8 years;
(1996-1997) - males: 75 years,
females: 80 years;
(b) Total fertility rate: (1993-1996):
2.18; (1997) 2.004, (1998) 1.918;
(c) Crude birth rate: (1996)
14.9/1,000 population, (1997) 14.2, (1998) 13.4;
(d) Infant
mortality: (1996) 8.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live birth, (1997) 8, (1998)
7.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture, through its services for adult education,
organizes lectures and debates on problems concerning
pre-marital and parenthood
counselling. Moreover the Ministry subsidizes the Pancyprian School for
Parents, which provides adult
education in cooperation with the teachers union,
the organization of primary school inspectors and the parents’ committees
which function in every school.
- In-service
training seminars are organized by the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute in
cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Culture
(Department of Primary
and Secondary Education) to help teachers acquire new ideas and improve their
teaching competence. Special
programmes are organized with the purpose of
effectively meeting all the needs of exceptional children, including the gifted
and
the talented.
- Furthermore,
primary school inspectors, within the context of their visits to schools, stress
the point that a variety of learning
activities may be organized, with relevant
adaptation of the school programme so that all children may benefit from
it.
- The
primary school teachers organize individual teaching activities of various
levels in order to meet the needs of all children,
including the gifted and the
talented. Furthermore, all children in primary schools have the opportunity to
satisfy and improve
their talents, since a variety of interesting activities are
organized in music, art, drama, physical education and
athletics.
Article 7
- No
further development.
Article 8
- Regarding
the birth registration of children, it is the same whether they live in rural or
urban areas. No problems have been observed.
See also article
2.
Article 9
- In
Cyprus there is still a category of children whose right to regular contact with
their parents is utterly violated. These are
the children whose parents live in
the part of Cyprus which is occupied by the Turkish military forces since 1974.
In the occupied
area, secondary education is not allowed for the Greeks and the
Maronites.
- As
a result, children must either be deprived of secondary education or be
separated from their parents in order to attend secondary
school in the free
area under the control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. They either
live in a boarding house run
by the State (only for boys) or with
relatives.
- Younger
children are allowed by the occupying forces to visit their parents during
festive periods only (Christmas/Easter). Older
children are not allowed to
visit their families at all while those wishing to return to their homes, on
completion of their education,
are prevented from doing so.
- The
number of children whose fundamental rights are violated due to their ethnic
origin is shown below:
Table 1
Children in the occupied areas aged 0-18 years
|
|
Girls
|
Total
|
Greek
|
26
|
30
|
56
|
Maronites
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
Total
|
27
|
30
|
57
|
Table 2
Children separated from their families in order to receive
secondary education in the government-controlled area
|
|
Girls
|
Total
|
Greek Cypriot
|
20
|
14
|
34
|
Maronites
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
Total
|
24
|
18
|
42
|
Table 3
Students attending third-level education not allowed to
visit
their parents in the occupied area
Students
at the University of Cyprus
|
5
|
Students abroad
|
2
|
Students at Cyprus colleges
|
5
|
Article 10
- The
Republic of Cyprus secures the provision of article 10 as it has been indicated
in the initial and supplementary reports. There
is no further
development.
Article 11
- The
Republic secures the provision of article 11 as it has been indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports. There is no further
development.
Article 12
- See
article 15.
Article 13
- See
article 15.
Article 14
- See
article 15.
Article 15
- According
to the report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, there is need for
more involvement of children in decisions within
the family and in
administrative and judicial procedures regarding them.
- Participation
and respect of children’s views on issues which affect them is promoted
adequately through the general family
legislation and particularly through the
Relations between Parents and Children Law of 1990 (216/1990).
- The
judges of the Family Court put a lot of effort in order to create the
appropriate circumstances which help a child and allow him/her
to express
his/her opinions; for example, the communication between a judge and a child may
be secured without the presence of the
parents.
- Through
legislation and administrative procedures, the Department of Social Welfare
Services involves children in decisions concerning
them.
- As
far as the above principles are concerned, revision of the legislation regarding
the child has already been started by a committee
which is monitored by the Law
Commissioner. The purpose of this committee is the harmonization of legislation
regarding the child
with international conventions and with the International
Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular.
- It
is worth mentioning that one of the most important targets of the Department of
Social Welfare Services is to secure the best interest
of the child and at the
same time to respect his/her opinion.
- Children’s
involvement in the decision-making procedures constitutes an integral part of
the policy of the Department of Social
Welfare Services. The department
considers the participation of children (depending on their age and
capabilities) in personnel
meetings on issues that involve their placement in an
institution or a foster family.
Article 16
- The
Republic secures the provision of article 16 as it has been indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports. (However, the
rights provided for in
articles 12 to 16 are utterly violated for the Greeks and Maronites who live in
the Turkish-occupied areas
of Cyprus, including the children.)
- There
is no further development.
Article 17
- The
Republic secures the provision of article 17 as it has been indicated in the
initial and supplementary report.
- There
is not any further development.
Article 18
- The
Republic secures the provision of article 18 as it has been indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports. However, there
are further developments in
the following areas: the Department of Social Welfare Services continues to
expand supportive services
to assist parents in their child-rearing
responsibilities e.g. childcare centres and home care.
- Regulations
(157/97 Order) have been passed according to the Centres for the Protection and
Care of Children Law of 1996 (2 (1)/96).
These regulations set minimum
standards on safety, hygiene, health, child-space ratio, and staff
qualifications at day-care centres
for schoolage children.
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services increasingly subsidizes a growing number
of programmes/services for children. Emphasis
is laid on reinforcing community
day-care centres (for pre-schoolers and school-age children) which remain open
in the afternoon
to provide care to children of working parents. In 1997, an
amount of £C 683,000 (42.4 per cent of the total) was provided
to such
centres in the form of governmental grants.
- In
total, there are 397 day-care centres of which 104 are run by communities, 11 by
the Government and 282 by the private sector.
It is interesting to note that,
according to the latest statistics, the care of children under 11 years of age,
1996-97 is as follows:
Table 4
Care of children under 11 years of age
1996-1997
|
Percentage
|
Care by a household member
|
57
|
Care by relative/friend without payment
|
16
|
Care in household with payment
|
2.0
|
Care at kindergarten/day-nursery
|
15.5
|
Other
|
1.6
|
No care
|
6.2
|
Note: It is worth mentioning that the overwhelming majority of
the
children without any care is 7 years of age and over.
Article 19
- The
report of the Committee recommends that a study be conducted relevant to the
issue of protection of children from abuse and neglect.
- Accordingly,
the Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in the Family
(appointed by the Council of Ministers
and selected both from the public and the
private sector) has already initiated a comprehensive study to improve the
understanding
of the nature and scope of child neglect and abuse in
Cyprus.
- Recently
a new Law of 2000 (No. 3 (1) of 2000) has been enacted under the title Combating
of Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Exploitation
of Children. Under this law,
certain if not all forms of modern slavery are considered offences entailing
severe punishment. Acts
which have been made offences under this law are the
trafficking of children, exploitation of women and children by prostitution,
the
use of children for the production of pornographic films and other publications.
An important provision of the law is the appointment
of a guardian for the
protection of the victim.
Article 20
- The
Republic secures the provision of article 20 as it has been indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports.
Article 21
- The
Republic of Cyprus recognizes and permits the system of adoption. The Adoption
Law of 1995 (19 (1)) of 1995, which repealed the
Adoption of Children Law, Cap
274, provides for adoption. The Adoption Law is divided into six parts:
preliminary provisions; provisions
relating to the requirements and procedure
for adoption; the protection of the minor to be adopted; provisions which deal
with placement
and adoption; and provisions which deal with the effects of
adoption.
- Some
of the most important provisions embodied in this Law are those referring
to:
(a) The possibility of placement of a minor through the
Department of Social Welfare Services or directly;
(b) The abolition of
the precondition for adoption through the church and;
(c) The
possibility by the adopted person to be informed about his/her origin through
the Department of Social Welfare Services.
- It
is interesting to note that the Adoption Law of 1995 (19 (1) of 1995) includes
the principle of the best interests of the child
as a prerequisite for the
adoption process (art. 5).
Article 22
- The
provisions of this article are secured under the Convention relating to the
Status of Refugees (Geneva, 1951) which was adopted
by the Government of the
United Kingdom before Cyprus’ independence. That Convention is binding on
the Republic of Cyprus
together with the Protocol relating to the Status of
Refugees, which was adopted by the General Assembly at its twenty-first session.
The Protocol was ratified by Law 73 of 1968.
- There
is a Law No. 6 (1) of 2000 providing for the protection of refugees. The law
consists of six parts:
− Part 1 contains introductory provisions defining, inter alia, the term
“refugee” and laying certain basic principles
for the treatment of
refugees;
− Part II contains provisions relating to the entry of asylum-seekers into
the Republic and the issue of permission for temporary
residence;
− Part III contains procedural matters regarding the recognition of the
status refugee, i.e. where it is made, how applications
manifestly ill-founded
are treated, examinations of the applicant, right of recourse of the applicant
if dissatisfied with the decision
of the Authority and other related
matters.
− Part IV deals with the rights and obligations of refugees. It also
contains provisions about the rights of the refugees’
families;
− Part V establishes an Authority for the recognition of the status of
refugees. It consists of the director of the Ministry
of Interior, the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Public Order or their
representatives; and
− Part VI contains final provisions including provisions for deportation
and for making regulations.
Article 23
- The
Republic of Cyprus secures the provisions of article 23 as indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports.
- Moreover,
the de-institutionalization of mentally disabled children is highly encouraged
by the Department of Social Welfare Services.
In the past few years, both
governmental and non-governmental sectors have expanded the operation of small
units in the community
(about five persons) for mentally disabled
children.
- Social
integration is further promoted through the provision of specialized care and
other supportive services, education and vocational
training.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture continues to have its own representative in
the Committee for the Protection of Individuals
with a Learning
Disability/Mental Handicap, an autonomous legal entity, protected and set up
through the Mentally Retarded Persons
Law of 1989 (117/89). Its main aim
is the safeguarding of the rights of persons with mental
disabilities.
- According
to the Special Education Law of 1979 (47/1979) and relevant regulations, special
education is free and compulsory. It is
provided through integration of
disabled children in the ordinary school system or at special
schools.
- Any
child between the ages of 5 and 18, suspected of having learning and/or
behaviour problems, may be referred to the proper authorities
for possible
special education placement. Before such decision is reached, the child must
undergo medical and psychological examinations.
For this purpose, the
legislation requires the establishment of district psychopedagogical committees
consisting of a psychiatrist
a clinical psychologist, an educational
psychologist, a welfare officer and a representative of the Ministry of
Education. They
identify the number of persons with disabilities, the form and
degree of the disability and they suggest the kind of immediate and
long-term
education programmes and facilities needed.
- The
government policy is not to segregate disabled children but to give them the
opportunity to learn and grow together with all other
children. They learn as
much as their abilities and potentialities allow them to learn, in an ordinary
environment which satisfies
their psychological and physical needs. Extra help
is offered to these children by special teachers.
- The
Department of Primary Education uses the services of experienced and specialized
teachers, called coordinators of special education
or special needs advisers, to
coordinate the programmes provided in special education. Teachers’
advisers provide support
on issues related to daily practice. The special-needs
advisers wok under the guidance of the inspectors of special
education.
- The
Department of Primary Education has recently established small units in regular
schools for children with a hearing impairment,
autistic and mentally retarded
children for better fulfilment of their special needs.
- Another
area of concern to the Ministry of Education and Culture, beyond the need to
improve the professional competence of teachers,
is the provision of adequate
teaching materials for children with special needs. New technology such as
computers has also been
introduced in special education
programmes.
- The
table in annex 1 indicates persons 19 years and younger with a long-term
disability (census of population 1992).
Article 24
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 24 as indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- According
to the Ministry of Health, the health of children in Cyprus has improved in
recent years as indicated by the existing data.
Infant mortality has decreased
appreciably and current figures are seven deaths for 1,000 live births in 1998,
compared to 8.3 in
1996 and eight in 1997.
- The
results of the latest survey (1997) on immunization coverage in pre-school
children, showed that all EPI antigens were very satisfactory,
though there was
room for improvement in the cases of measles and hepatitis B. More
specifically, coverage for OPV (polio) and DPT3
(Diphtheria, Pertusis, Tetanus)
was 97.7 per cent for MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) 90 per cent and
for HBV (Hepatitis B) 88 per
cent.
- School
curricula have been revised, providing, among other things, health education in
its most comprehensive sense. The governmental
decision on a school programme
which promotes health involves all children at all levels of
education.
- Health
and hygiene are taught and promoted through a combined effort and are
incorporated in the whole programme of the schools and
mainly in science, home
economics, physical education and social studies.
- Great
emphasis is given to health education in the new curriculum of primary education
(1994, chapter “Heath Education”).
Some of the objectives are that
nursery and primary schools have to help children:
(a) To
develop positive attitudes and skills in relation to health;
(b) To learn
basic knowledge about their bodies, the care of their bodies and elementary
first-aid knowledge and skills;
(c) To acquire skills which will help
them to protect themselves from danger, in order to keep their physical,
spiritual, psychological
and social health;
(d) To cultivate attitudes
of neatness and health;
(e) To conduct, communicate, accept and respect
people with special needs in their social environment;
(f) To develop
healthy nourishing habits and attitudes;
(g) To become well-informed
consumers; and
(h) To acquire knowledge about various substances such as
salt, sugar, alcohol, nicotine etc. and about the damage that the use of
these
substances could cause to their health.
- Health
and hygiene education is reinforced by various activities such as in-service
seminars, the publishing of relevant teacher books
and textbooks for children,
the personal interest of the primary school inspectors etc. It is also
reinforced by the involvement
of the parents and the community through parental
guidance programmes, family planning education and health preventive
care.
- The
Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Culture,
runs the school health service for all levels
of education. These services
offer general screening of all primary and secondary school children aiming at
the early detection
and diagnosis of various health problems for early treatment
and prevention, if possible. Every child is entitled to medical examinations
concerning the general condition of its health.
- The
dental services have launched a nationwide campaign for the prevention and
treatment of cavities in primary schoolchildren. Such
campaigns have occurred
in the past but they have been recently strengthened following the results of a
survey concluded in 1992.
- The
Audiology Centre, which has been in operation since 1991, offers services for
the secondary prevention in matters of hearing impairments
in children (and
adults).
- During
the last three years a scientific study has taken place among children of the
sixth grade in elementary schools, concerning
their health condition. The
findings of this research, which is taking place in cooperation between the
Ministry of Education and
Culture, the Ministry of Health and the University of
Crete, are expected to help in the planning of the improvement of the
children’s
health condition.
- Special
attention has been given by the Government of Cyprus to the provision of
educational opportunities to every child. Pursuing
this policy the Ministry of
Education and Culture continues to run special schools for those children who
suffer from such physical,
mental, social or emotional problems, which do not
allow them to study and benefit from the ordinary school
curriculum.
- During
the period 1996-98 the following special schools have been in
operation:
(a) Five schools for trainable
children;
(b) One school for the deaf;
(c) One school for the
blind;
(d) One school for emotionally disturbed children;
and
(e) One school for spastic children.
- The
operation of special schools is still considered necessary because of the
severity and the uniqueness of the needs of some children
that cannot be met in
an ordinary school. The number of children attending special schools, however,
has drastically decreased over
the last years, because of the integration
programmes.
- As
has been mentioned in the initial report, self-care activities, occupational
therapy, speech therapy, communication skills, functional
academic skills and
other subjects aiming at the development of the mental abilities of children to
the maximum of their potential
are included in the curriculum. In addition,
special schools and units strive to ensure the provision of the highest
attainable
standard of health among their children. Moreover, special
programmes are designed to ensure that the disabled child has effective
access
through the school system to training, health-care services, rehabilitation
services, preparation for employment, exercise
and recreation
opportunities.
- All
special schools and units are staffed by specially trained teachers. During the
last years the Ministry of Education and Culture
has employed specialists, such
as speech therapists, remedial teachers, gymnastics masters, psychologists etc.,
thus improving and
completing the provision of services to special education
children.
- The
financing of general education programmes for special schools and units also
comes under the responsibility of the Ministry of
Education and Culture. In
certain special cases, some additional services may be provided with the close
cooperation of the Ministry,
the Parents’ Association and other charity
bodies.
- In
addition to the educational provision in special schools run by the Government,
the Ministry of Education and Culture covers the
needs, in teaching staff, in
the following establishments run by other governmental or private
bodies:
(a) The Vocational Rehabilitation centre;
(b) The
Homes for severely retarded children which are run by the Ministry of Labour and
Social Insurance;
(c) Hospitals and other institutions which are run by
the Ministry of Health; and
(d) Some charity (non-profit)
organizations
- The
enrichment of programmes (in the above institutions) with educational
objectives, in addition to the vocational ones, is considered
very important and
it is the intention of the Ministry to continue the provision of teachers to
those programmes.
- Seminars
are organized for teachers by the Ministry of Education and Culture with the aim
of improving their teaching competence in
special education. Seminars are also
organized for parents. Specialists from Cyprus, as well as from abroad, conduct
these seminars.
The number of teachers who have participated in international
seminars and other short-terms courses (concerning new methods and
approaches in
special education) has increased during the last five years. This has
greatly facilitated the exchange of knowledge
and experience between Cypriots
and educationists from abroad.
- Progress
has been made with respect to the process for amending the Special Education Law
of 1979 (47 of 1979), in order to harmonize
it with new perspectives and trends.
The bill has been discussed and approved by the Council of Ministers and has
been forwarded
to the House of Representatives for final approval. It is
expected that a new law for Special Education will be enforced
soon.
- As
part of the special-education policy of the Ministry of Education and Culture,
the Department of Primary Education has recently
established small units for the
hearing impaired, autistic and mentally retarded children in ordinary schools
for better fulfilment
of their special needs. A part of the teaching programme
is offered by a specialized teacher in a special class while the rest of
their
needs are satisfied in the ordinary class.
- The
Department of Primary Education uses the services of experienced and specialized
teachers, called coordinators of special education
or special needs advisers to
coordinate the programmes in special education and advise teachers on issues
related to their everyday
practice. The special needs advisers are working
under the guidance of the inspector for special education. By the next school
year the number of special education inspectors will be increased from one to
two.
- Another
area of concern for the Ministry of Education and Culture, beyond the need to
improve the professional competence of the teachers,
is the provision of
adequate teaching materials for children with special needs. New technology
such as computers has also been
introduced in special educational
programmes.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture, in its effort to provide a continuation of
the work done in schools and to relieve parents
in employment, has started and
has been operating in recent years an afternoon programme for children attending
special schools.
The programme is offered free of charge and covers a wide
variety of activities like dance, swimming, physical education, music
therapy,
art, entertainment, etc. The above subjects are taught by specialists like
psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists
and others. The cost of running
the programme is covered by the Ministry and the parents’ associations, on
an equal basis.
- Special-education
programmes for slow learners and children from deprived areas are also provided
in secondary education as follows:
(a) A considerable amount of
teaching time assigned to gymnasium above their curriculum needs is used for
supporting children with
learning difficulties. “Withdrawal system”
is used for teaching small groups of children with learning difficulties.
Slow
learners are withdrawn from the regular class and are offered special support in
the subjects of mathematics and language;
(b) The Department of
Secondary Education operates small groups for hearing impaired children in
ordinary schools. A part of the
teaching programme is offered in special
classes while the rest is offered in ordinary classes; and
(c) In some
deprived areas the department offers smaller groups for the newcomers in
language and mathematics as a kind of support
to the less able children.
Article 25
- The
Republic of Cyprus secures the provisions of article 25 as indicated in the
initial and supplementary reports.
Article 26
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 26 as indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- Furthermore,
the Children and Young Persons Employment Law
prohibits:
(a) The employment of children under the age of 15
in any occupation;
(b) The employment of children under the age
of 16 in any industrial occupation, but allows children between the age of 15
and 16
to be engaged as apprentices for the purpose of learning a trade or
calling to any person who holds a special license issued by the
Minister of
Labour and Social Insurance. (see section 3 of the Children and Young Persons
Employment Law, Cap. 175 as amended by
Law No. 21 (1) of 2000);
and
(c) The employment of persons under the age of 18 underground or in
a mine.
- Therefore,
no person can be insured under the Social Insurance Legislation in respect of
any employment which is prohibited under
the Children and Young Persons
Employment Law. Persons under the age of 18, who are employed in accordance
with the provisions of
the Children and Young Persons Law, are insured in the
same manner as adults, either as employees or selfemployed and enjoy the same
benefits.
- In
addition, it should be noted that under the social insurance legislation,
beneficiaries of long-term and short-term periodical
benefits are entitled to
increases in respect of their minor children.
- The
term “minor” is defined as:
(a) A person under the
age of 15 years;
(b) An unmarried male person between the age of 15 and
25 who is receiving fulltime education or is attending a course of training
approved by the Director or is in active service in the National Guard under the
National Guard Laws;
(c) An unmarried female person between the ages of
15 and 23 who is receiving fulltime education or is attending a course of
training
approved by the Director and;
(d) An unmarried person who is
over the age of 15 and is permanently incapable of self-support.
- Social
insurance legislation also provides for the payment of orphans benefit in
respect of a minor:
(a) Whose parents have both died and one of
them was insured;
(b) Whose parents were separated and the one under
whose care he/she was has died;
(c) One of whose parents died and the
surviving parent is not entitled to a widow’s pension;
or
(d) Whose widowed mother, who was in receipt of widow’s
pension, remarried.
- Finally,
it may be noted that families with at least four dependent children are entitled
to a family benefit under the Child Benefit
Law. The term
“dependent” for purposes of this law has the same meaning as the
term “minor” under the social
insurance laws.
Article 27
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 27 as indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- Home-help
services are expanded both at a State and a non-governmental level in order to
serve more families in need of instrumental
assistance.
Article 28
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 28 as indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- Education
for ages 5 to 15 is free and compulsory and free for ages 15 to
18.
- Primary
and secondary education covers almost 100 per cent of the children and is
available to all children irrespective of race,
colour, religion or ethnic group
of origin. Children coming from low-income families and children in rural areas
are treated in
the same way as all other children. Primary schools have been
established and operate in all towns and villages. In very few villages
where
the number of pupils does not permit the operation of primary schools, adequate
transportation is provided by the State so
as to facilitate pupils to attend
nearby schools.
- According
to relevant regulations, the principals of schools are responsible to report to
the Ministry of Education and Culture any
irregular attendance, dropping out of
schools or complete non-attendance. Those who violate the law are prosecuted.
There are also
supportive measures if the family is in a state of
need.
- It
should be noted that, with the permission of the director of primary education,
and on the basis of the suggestion of psychopedagogical
district committees,
primary school enrolment and attendance may be delayed in cases of illness,
handicaps or delayed development.
These children attend alternative pre-school
or special education programmes geared to the child’s potential and the
enhancement
of their development.
- The
provision of the Compulsory Education Law relating to the prosecution of parents
whose children have irregular attendance or no
attendance has remained mostly
inoperative since school attendance is almost 100 per cent.
- School
discipline is maintained by developing self-discipline through programmes for
social, moral and emotional development. Decent
human relations, positive
modelling, creating the appropriate social climate in the school, developing the
child’s self-image,
making teachers conscious of the extensive effects of
the hidden curriculum, democratic class management and participation of the
students in the school administration are among the measures employed to achieve
the form of school discipline which safeguards the
child’s dignity and
self-respect.
- All
forms of corporal punishment have been strictly forbidden in schools since the
early 1960s. The implementation of school rules
by the children is
achieved through persuasion. When a child is found guilty of a very serious
fault or misbehaviour and does not
benefit from the efforts of the teachers
through persuasion, the headmaster of the school, in cooperation with the
inspector, the
educational psychologist of the school and the parents of the
child, plans an individual programme and special strategies to help
the
child.
- Violation
of the relevant regulations constitutes an offence and offenders undergo the
consequences of their actions as decided by
the directors of education or the
Educational Service Committee.
- International
cooperation in matters relating to education, in particular with a view to
contributing to the elimination of ignorance
and illiteracy throughout the world
and facilitating access to scientific and technical knowledge and modern
teaching methods, is
achieved through the
following:
(a) Participation of teachers in international
conferences and seminars on the above subjects is organized by international
organizations
such as the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the Commonwealth, the
Fulbright Office, the Cyprus American Scholarship programme and other
countries
of the world with which Cyprus has signed conventions for educational, cultural
and scientific exchange and cooperation;
(b) Exchange of consultants
with the aforementioned countries;
(c) Cooperation with universities
abroad which offer courses to teachers for further professional studies and
training in the area
of scientific and technical knowledge, instructional
technology, curriculum development, educational administration and modern
teaching
methods;
(d) Connection of the Pedagogical Institute, which
organizes seminars for inservice training of teachers, with the European
Academic
and Research Network;
(e) Participation of students in
international contests in the area of academic and scientific knowledge,
literature and arts;
(f) Participation of students in international
conferences, seminars and activities organized at home or abroad which promote
exchange
of knowledge and contribute to international understanding and
sensitivity to the needs of developing countries; and
(g) Participation
in the Socrates Programme.
- Cyprus
is already connected to the European Academic and Research Network (EARN) and
all private and public educational institutions
and research organizations may
benefit from this connection.
- Financial
aid is provided where necessary by school committees and by the
Government.
- Concerning
secondary education, the Comprehensive Lyceum started operating in
three Lykeia in Nicosia in September 1995. Comprehensive Lyceum is
a combination of general secondary and technical education. Pupils in the
same premises can choose lessons that better suit their interests, ability
and needs. In the first form there is a common core of
lessons, 31 periods
a week. In the second and third forms the pupils can choose 18
and 20 periods per week respectively from a large
range of subjects
according to their preferences and abilities thus forming up their own
programme.
- Our
secondary education system is changing to comprehensive. This change is a step
forward towards the idea of equality of opportunity
and the integration of
pupils from different social and economic backgrounds in the same school. It
offers social justice and serves
the rights of the child in the field of
education.
- The
Department of Primary Education introduces various innovations and gives
emphasis to a number of areas for the improvement of
both quantity and quality
of the education offered to children as follows:
(a) New school
buildings have been built and equipped while others have been extended and
improved because of the continuing effects
of the Turkish invasion in 1974 and
the internal movements and redistribution of the population, especially between
urban and rural
areas;
(b) Training seminars are organized by the Cyprus
Pedagogical Institution in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and
Culture
(Department of Primary and Secondary Education) to help teachers acquire
new ideas and improve their teaching competence. Special
programmes are
organized with the purpose of effectively meeting all the needs of exceptional
children, including the gifted and
the talented.
(c) The Curriculum
Development Service is now in a position to produce books for teachers and
pupils as well as other educational
material. During the last three years, new
books have been produced for science courses for all grades and for maths for
the first
three grades of primary schools. On the other hand, school curricula
are being revised on the basis of suggestions made by teachers,
inspectors and
school boards;
(d) There has been an increasing awareness of the need to
update study material and to use the appropriate methodology so as to help
pupils to acquire basic skills of study and correct attitudes;
(e) An
integrated nine-year educational programme has been introduced in
schools;
(f) The Ministry of Education and Culture has been expanding
pre-primary education to meet the needs of pre-school children. Where
places
are limited, priority is given to children of working parents;
(g) More
children with special needs are now integrated into the ordinary educational
system. Also, new small units for children
with special needs have been
established in ordinary schools;
(h) It is recognized that home-school
cooperation assists children to get the most from the educational programmes and
to maximize
their potential. For this reason most of the schools try to educate
the parents properly by organizing a school for parents. They
also try to gain
their close cooperation;
(i) During the last five years a new subject, “Design and
Technology”, started developing in the elementary school curriculum
for
both sexes. Teachers were trained with seminars; the new subject was introduced
to the curriculum of the University of Cyprus
for the new teachers. A strategic
plan for design and technology has been prepared and is now in progress. The
plan which is expected
to reach its final stage in 2001 includes among others
the following:
− In-service training for 300 teachers;
− Preparation of teachers’ and pupils’ books on the
subject;
− Equipment of the schools with the necessary facilities;
and
− Appointment of 10 counsellors as inspectors for the
subject;
(j) At the same time, home economics, a subject
traditionally applied to girls only, started being taught to both
sexes;
(k) The subject of the English language was traditionally taught
to the fifth and sixth grades of elementary school only. Since
1993-94 it has
been introduced at the fourth grade too;
(l) A number of computers have
been introduced to several primary schools on an experimental basis since 1993.
The programme is
gradually expanding in more schools;
(m) As from school
year 1997-98, the maximum number of children in the first grade of elementary
school will be reduced from 32 to
30 and the second grade from 34 to 32. In
small schools, the number of pupils in classes with a combination of two or more
grades
was also reduced to 24. The policy of establishing a combination of
classes of two grades in schools with more than six teachers
has been abandoned
since September 1997;
(n) Another innovation is the decision of the
Ministry of Education and Culture to change the age of first enrolment of
children
at elementary school from 5 years, 6 months, to 5 years,
8 months, as from September 1998;
(o) New material for teaching
initial reading and writing is currently being prepared by a special committee.
The aim of this effort
is to promote reading and writing skills, on the one
hand, and to eliminate illiteracy as much as possible, on the other
hand;
(p) Cyprus participates in the programme “Ecological
Schools” of the organization “Environmental Education in
Europe”
together with 15 other schools. It is worth mentioning that
environmental education is emphasized in all primary schools;
and
(q) In addition to the initial report, as far as dental health
prevention is concerned, the Ministry of Health adds that in the screening
programme, children of the fifth and sixth class of elementary school are
targeted for cavities and periodontal diseases. The children
are examined in
schools by governmental dentists. Those detected with problems are referred to
the private dentists. The cost of
treatment is covered by the Government.
Article 29
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 29 as indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- The
provisions of this article are well covered by the aims and objectives of
education in Cyprus. This is proved through the philosophy,
the goals, the
objectives, the methodological guidelines and the context of the
curriculum.
- The
aim of education in Cyprus, as stated in the national report of the Ministry of
Education and Culture, Department of Education
1990-1992, is “the
development of free and democratic citizens with a fully developed personality,
mentally and morally refined,
healthy, active and creative who will contribute
with their work and their conscientious activity in general to the social,
scientific,
economic and cultural progress of our country and to the promotion
of cooperation, mutual understanding and love among men and people
for the
prevalence of freedom, justice and peace”.
- The
cornerstone of the objectives of primary education is the all-round and balanced
development of the personality of the children,
through the creation of such
situations that will help them to acquire knowledge, to develop correct
attitudes and skills so as to
help them to become responsible members of
society.
- The
basic aim of primary education is to organize teaching and learning activities
so as to give to all children the proper guidance
and assistance, without any
discrimination based on age, sex, family or social origin, nationality or mental
abilities and potentialities
so as to help them:
(a) To acquire
the necessary knowledge and develop positive attitudes and suitable skills in
the following learning areas: social
coexistence, cooperation, solidarity,
humanistic values, human rights and obligations, natural environment, freedom,
democracy, justice
and peace. The objective for the development of positive
attitudes and suitable skills in the aforementioned areas pervades every
subject
of the curriculum and every aspect of school life;
(b) To face
successfully the various problems and challenges they meet in school life and
society; and
(c) To promote cooperation, mutual understanding and love
among people of all countries.
- School
curricula in Cyprus help children to maximize their potential, enhance their
physical, mental and emotional social abilities
and cultivate their
talents.
- Another
objective of the curriculum is the development in the child of respect for his
or her parents, the elderly, all human beings
and living creatures in
general.
- Furthermore,
in the chapter relating to methodological guidelines, great emphasis is given to
the principle that every teaching activity
in school should concentrate on the
educational effort of satisfying the needs, the interests and the inclinations
of each child
as a unique personality.
Article 30
- According
to its article 28, the Constitution provides inter alia that:
− All persons are equal before the law, the administration and justice and
are entitled to equal protection thereof and treatment
thereby;
− Every person shall enjoy all the rights and liberties provided for in
the Constitution without any direct or indirect discrimination against any
person on the ground of his community, race, religion, language, sex, political
or other convictions, national or social descent, birth, colour, wealth, social
class, or on any ground whatsoever, unless there
is express provision to the
contrary in this Constitution; and
− All textbooks used in public schools deal with minority cultures in a
nondiscriminatory way. History, civics, Greek literature,
philosophy and other
curricula and textbooks should:
(a) Present historical events from various points of view and in an objective
manner;
(b) Stress the fact that the world culture is the result of collective human
effort, struggle and sacrifice;
(c) Stress the interdependence of people and their need to communicate and
cooperate;
(d) Train pupils to respect and protect other people’s rights;
(e) Encourage pupils to avoid dogmatism and make use of dialogue to reach
mutual understanding;
(f) Encourage tolerance and mutual respect;
(g) Promote brotherly relations and good neighbourliness between people of
different ethnic origin;
(h) Promote democratic values and respect for other cultures;
(i) Develop critical thinking;
(j) Encourage moral reasoning;
(k) Develop the ability to understand controversial issues of society;
(l) Challenge stereotypical thinking with evidence; and
(m) Contribute to greater mutual understanding between communities in
conflict.
- Furthermore,
the right of religious groups to set up and operate their own schools is also
safeguarded and such schools are financially
assisted by the
State.
- The
State covers all the tuition fees of the Turkish-Cypriot pupils who attend
private schools, and subsidizes the tuition fees of
the pupils who belong to the
religious groups of the Maronites, the Armenians and the Latins and attend the
first six classes of
private schools of secondary education.
- Several
cultural events have been planned for the year 2000. These special events will
give the opportunity to the minorities to
provide and present their culture in
various fields, e.g. music, dance, etc.
- It
is interesting to note that Cyprus has ratified the European Charter for
Regional or Minority Languages by Law No. 39 (III) of
1993.
- It
is worth mentioning that the President of the Republic proceeded, at the
beginning of his second term of office, to the appointment
of a Presidential
Commissioner who is responsible for the religious groups of Maronites,
Armenians, and Latins, proving thus in a
practical way the Government’s
interest in the welfare of the religious minorities of Cyprus.
- The
Commissioner’s terms and conditions of service are of ministerial level.
The Presidential Commissioner is Mr. Manolis Christofides,
who is a lawyer,
ex-member of the House of Representatives and ex-Government spokesman. A
harmonious relationship and close cooperation
with the three religious minority
groups has been established. Several separate meetings have been held between
the Presidential
Commissioner and each religious group’s representative at
the House of Representatives.
- The
meetings continue to be held on a regular basis with the participation of the
representatives of the religious groups in the House
of Representatives, the
church authorities and prominent people representing associations and other
bodies on behalf of each religious
minority group. At each meeting, the focus
is on the examination of several matters or demands raised by each group. The
relevant
ministerial representatives are present at the meetings depending upon
the issues under consideration.
- In
this way, the Government ensures: (a) absolute and direct coordination with the
religious minority groups, (b) the avoidance of
bureaucratic procedures, and (c)
the fast and effective solution of problems that might arise.
Article 31
- The
provisions of article 31 are secured as has been indicated in the initial and
supplementary reports.
- However
it is worth mentioning that at school, children have daily intervals between
classes, during which they can play and rest.
- Art,
music and physical education are subjects included in the school programme and
emphasized in the curriculum. In all classes,
students are provided with a
variety of musical instruments, art materials and equipment for physical
education. Children are motivated
through the organization of art exhibitions,
sports events and games within their school and among schools in the
area.
- One
class period a week is devoted to free activities. Children are encouraged to
participate according to their interests in extracurricular
activities (drama,
choir and orchestra, arts and crafts, sports, games and dances, volunteering and
social work, gardening and environmental
care, etc.).
- According
to a circular addressed to headmasters by the Ministry of Education and Culture,
children have to attend theatre performances
in their area, at least three times
a year as part of the school programme. They are also encouraged to attend
cultural activities
organized in their community and visit museums, art
exhibitions and places of interest.
- Children
participate in festivals, fairs and other recreational and cultural activities
organized by the schools, parents’ associations,
municipalities and other
cultural organizations.
- The
schools organize visits, trips and educational camping which combine learning
with leisure activities and pleasure.
- Parents’
associations in cooperation with the school administration organize extra
lessons in music, art and dancing in the
afternoons which children can attend
with very low fees.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture in collaboration with the organization
“Sports for All” organizes sports and games
in the afternoon at the
local schools for children of the area.
- Children
organize and present programmes to their parents on certain occasions such as
Christmas, national holidays, celebrations
on mother’s day or at the end
of the school year. The programmes include acting, songs, poems and
dances.
Article 32
- According
to the report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child there are children in
Cyprus who work as domestic servants. No
scientific or empirical data exist to
substantiate the above allegation. Relevant legislation and practices in Cyprus
do not allow
child labour. The Children and Young Persons (Employment) Law,
chapter 175 (as amended by 61 of 1964, 18 of 1968, 239 of 1990,
87
(I) of 1999, and 21 (I) of 2000), as the title implies, contains
provisions aiming at the protection of employed children (see
art.
26).
- There
are also a number of relevant international instruments, which have been
ratified by the Cyprus Government and, under article
169.3 of the
Constitution, have more force than any domestic law. These instruments
include:
(a) The ILO Minimum Age Convention, 1973,
No. 138;
(b) The ILO Minimum Age (Underground Work Convention 1965,
No. 123); and
(c) Article 7, paragraphs 1, 3, 7 and 8, of the
European Social Charter.
- The
effective enforcement of existing legislation regarding work for children in
Cyprus is secured by the labour inspection service
of the Department of Labour
and the Police. At present the existing legislation is considered adequate.
Based on police data, there
does not seem to be an issue of exploitation
regarding children’s employment.
- The
Government recognized the need to amend the legislation dealing with employment
in order to bring it in line with the relevant
Directive of the European Union
(Council Directive 94/33/EC of June 1994 on the Protection of Children
at Work), ILO Convention No.
138 and article 7, paragraphs 1, 3,
7, and 8, of the European Social Charter. Thus a new law has been recently
drafted regarding
children and young persons’ employment, which will
consolidate and improve the existing law (basic and amended) and bring it
in
line with the acquis communautaire.
Article 33
- The
problem of illegal use, possession and trafficking of narcotics concerns all
persons regardless of their age. However, it remains
one of the most serious
problems and one of the major concerns of the authorities in many countries.
Despite the fact that Cyprus
is at the crossroads of drug traffickers and the
fact that a large number of tourists visit the island every year, we are still
not
facing a real problem of drug trafficking and addiction.
- The
police are taking steps in the field of prevention, information and education in
cooperation with voluntary associations and other
governmental departments.
Preventive work is effected in cooperation between the police, social services,
schools and nongovernmental
associations.
- The
Law Commissioner and the Ministry of Justice and Public Order have recently
decided to revise the legislation regarding narcotic
drugs and psychotropic
substances. The Care and Treatment of Drug Addicts Law 1992
(No. 57 (I) 1992) provides for the treatment
of drug
addicts.
- In
particular, the law provides that a person under the age of 18 may, upon
application to the Court, be ordered to be confined in
a detoxification and
rehabilitation centre.
- Also,
the Ministry of Education and Culture continues to have its own representative
in every committee related to the rights of children,
such as the Committee for
the Protection and Welfare of Children, which is a representative body of all
governmental and nongovernmental
organizations concerned with the welfare of
children. It is very active in disseminating information of the situation in
our country.
The Ministry participates in all the annual and other activities
of this Committee. The Ministry of Education and Culture has also
its own
representative in the Committee for the Family. On protection from drugs,
the Ministry focuses its attention on primary prevention.
The schoolbased
programme is organized around the following principles:
(a) Affirmation
and integration of the pupils’ personality, development of selfesteem and
consolidation of selfimage;
(b) Valid and timely information about
psychoactive substances;
(c) Elimination of the causes driving pupils
towards taking addictive substances;
(d) Development of a partnership
spirit for mutual respect of a person’s personality and
uniqueness;
(e) Acquisition of communication skills for understanding
different values and perceptions; and
(f) Development of
conflictresolution skills, selfdiscipline and social adjustment.
- Based
on the above principles, the Ministry of Education and Culture has already
organized 25 seminars focusing on antidrug education.
These seminars will
continue to take place at Ayia Napa campsite (a highly touristic area of
Cyprus) especially arranged in accordance
with the abovementioned principles.
The general aim of such seminars is to develop “peer groups” among
students whose
lifestyle and behaviour will influence other young persons’
groups.
- The
methodology applied in the seminars is the active participation of the students,
through group work. The pupils are encouraged
to discuss their own feelings and
share their views on a wide range of issues through role play. Teaching in
these seminars is done
by psychiatrists, psychologists, biologists, specialists
in education and others. More than 1,250 pupils attended the seminars
and
all of them are very active in schools, working closely with school health
committees participating in school antidrug activities.
The number
of pupils exceeds 5 per cent of the pupil population of the third
grade in schools.
- Evaluation
and assessment of the seminars are done through questionnaires answered by the
students at the end of each seminar and
necessary corrections and adjustments
are endorsed.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture also uses two mobile units called
“Mentor”, which visit the schools and pupils of
the second grade
(Gymnasium); they attend a 90minute programme conveying messages for healthy
lifestyle and antidrug resistance.
More than 5,000 pupils have until
now participated in the programme.
- A
pilot health programme is applied in 12 selected schools (elementary, gymnasia,
lyceum and technical schools). This programme is
part of a greater programme
adopted by European institutions and is applied in close cooperation with the
Ministry of Health, the
Council of Europe, the European Commission and the World
Health Organization. This programme is
geared towards an holistic view of health and teaching of children on how to
care and promote their health. The schools employed
in the programme are part
of the European Network of Health Promoting Schools. The programme’s
curriculum focuses on various
health issues and mainly on the use and misuse of
substances.
- In
order to increase awareness and involvement of school staff in health education
programmes and especially in programmes against
drug abuse various steps have
been taken such as:
(a) Introduction of health education issues
into the preservice training curriculum of teachers attending courses at the
Pedagogical
Institute;
(b) Introduction of various health education
themes into the curricula of the inservice training of headmasters and assistant
headmasters
of schools;
(c) Special training of all counsellors and
career guidance teachers;
(d) Ideas, methods and practices are
disseminated to schools for implementation and promotion of antidrug campaigns;
and
(e) Since 1992 more than 2,000 educators have participated in
voluntary seminars. Many of them (40 per cent) attended seminars on
the use and abuse of substances. In these seminars lectures were given by
experts visiting Cyprus and local government and private
specialists. These
trained educators are used in schools to help pupils to develop their
selfesteem, knowledge and skills in order
to make positive health choices and to
adopt a healthy lifestyle.
- Emphasis
has very recently been given to an antidrug educational programme through the
Life Education Centre (LEC) Cyprus, which was
established in 1997 by a wide
range of people from different walks of life, with the cooperation of the
Ministry of Education and
Culture and the Ministry of Health. The aims of LEC
are:
(a) To educate and sensitize children about the
destructive effects of drugs on human life;
(b) To make children aware
of themselves, the function of their body and how this function is affected by
harmful substances; and
(c) To develop children’s decisionmaking
skills, to build their selfesteem and to help them reach their full
potential.
- The
above are expected to be met through a series of seven graded programmes, each
one dealing with a different theme, for children
aged 613. The programmes are
presented in a mobile unit by five educators who have undergone intensive
training in Life Education
Centres in Britain.
- Several
evaluation surveys were conducted, especially on issues such as the use and
abuse of substances:
(a) Smoking (1994): This survey was
conducted among pupils of the lyceum, 3rd grade (age
1718);
(b) Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use (1995): This survey was part
of a project covering pupils 1516 years old. The purpose was to
collect
comprehensive data on drug and alcohol use;
(c) Individual school
surveys are also conducted, either as complements to other investigations or as
part of particular school programmes
regarding drug habits and other behaviour;
and
(d) A committee which consists of inspectors, psychologists,
psychiatrists, biologists and health educators monitors the whole health
education programme.
- The
fulltime and three parttime educators are responsible for the implementation of
the health education programme. In addition to
their salaries, the State spends
more than £C 20,000 per year for seminars. Also, the State
contributes and sponsors many seminars
conducted by individual
schools.
- Most
of the money used for these purposes comes from the programme “Plant trees
- fight drugs”. The money was collected
mostly by the effort and work of
pupils. Various environmental practices and programmes are promoted to actively
involve pupils
in wellbeing activities.
- The
Service of Educational Psychology in cooperation with other services of the
Ministry and other social agencies of the society
provide support to students
who, for various reasons, face the danger of becoming victims of exploitation
either within the family
or in society. This service participates in and
closely cooperates with the various preventive programmes of governmental
services
in order to face specific circumstances in schools, families,
etc.
Article 34
- In
general, Cyprus does not face problems regarding child exploitation. The
existing legislation for the protection of children at
work is most
effective.
- However,
a draft law for the protection of persons against exploitation was prepared by
the Law Commissioner and was enacted into
law quite recently under the title
Combating of Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Exploitation of Children Law
(No. 3 (I)/2000).
It provides for the protection of women and
children from exploitation. Under this law, certain if not all forms of modern
slavery
are considered offences entailing severe punishment. Acts considered
offences under the new law are the trafficking of children,
the exploitation of
women and children by prostitution, the use of children for the production of
pornographic films and other publications.
An important provision of the law is
the appointment of a guardian for the protection of the victim.
- It
is interesting to note that the Children’s Law, chapter
352/section 55, provides, that it is unlawful for a person having
the
custody, charge or care of a girl under the age of 16 years to cause or
encourage the seduction, the unlawful carnal knowledge
or prostitution of or the
commission of an indecent assault upon that girl.
- The
Ministry of Education and Culture contributes to the prevention and combating of
the exploitation of children. It focuses its
attention on primary prevention
and the schoolbased programme is organized around the same principles mentioned
relative to article
33 above.
- Finally
there are no reports that children are used for pornographic recordings or
publications.
Article 35
- There
are no incidents of sale of children in any form in Cyprus. In cases of
adoption, where it is more likely to sell children,
the procedure laid down by
the relevant law (the Adoption Law No. 19 (I) of 1995) is strictly
followed and no sale transaction occurs.
Needless to say that a legal adoption
is always sanctioned by the court. Before the enactment of the present adoption
law there
was another law which was also strictly adhered to.
- The
Convention for Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry
Adoption was ratified by Law No. 26 (III) of
1994.
- The
agency responsible for all matters related to the abuse and exploitation of
children is the Department of Social Welfare Services
of the Ministry of Labour
and Social Insurance.
- The
reasons for not having instances of sale of children are attributed to the
strong family structure of the Cypriot family and the
legal provisions for the
protection of children (see also article 34).
Article 36
- The
Government in Cyprus is very sensitive and watches closely the issue of child
exploitation. In particular the Ministry of Education,
with a view to
protecting children from exploitation at the primary education level, intervenes
in the manner described under article
29 above.
- The
Children’s Law (chap. 352/sect. 57) provides for child
protection in case a child under 16 is encouraged or allowed to be
used for
begging (see also article 32).
Article 37
- The
following enactments constitute certain provisions for child
protection:
(a) The Children’s Law
(chap. 352/sect. 54): Cruelty to persons under 16;
and
(b) The Violence in the Family (Prevention and Protection of
Victims) Law of 1994 (47 (I) of 1994): Use of violence against a minor
or
in the presence of a minor.
- This
was enacted in 1994 but soon certain problems were encountered in its full and
effective implementation. To amend the situation,
an amending draft law has
been prepared providing, inter alia, for the taking of testimony of victims
of violence by electronic means,
the protection of victims while giving evidence
in court, the setting up of a fund to meet certain immediate needs of victims
and
the establishment of a shelter where victims can have physical and legal
protection. The draft law is now at the House of Representatives
and is at the
final stage of its enactment.
Article 38
- The
Government of Cyprus secures the provisions of the initial and supplementary
reports.
Article 39
- The
Government of Cyprus secures the provisions of the initial and supplementary
reports.
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services provides preventive and therapeutic
services to families with children and juvenile offenders,
as well as support to
the elderly and the disabled or other persons with special
needs.
- Additionally,
the department, through the Community Development Programme, offers technical
and financial assistance to Community
Welfare Councils and NGOs for programmes
which support the family and vulnerable groups at a local level (e.g. daycare
centres for
the children, persons with disabilities and the elderly,
singleparent families, former prisoners, AIDS victims, drug addicts,
etc.).
Article 40
- The
Government of Cyprus secures the provisions of the initial and supplementary
reports.
- The
Probation of Offenders Law 46 (I) of 1996 introduced community service as
an alternative noncustodial sanction which is combined
with the offender’s
consent to the probation order. This is expected to increase the prospects for
rehabilitation, especially
for young offenders.
Article 41
- The
Republic secures the provisions of article 41 as it has been indicated in
the initial and supplementary reports. There are no
further
developments.
Article 42
- According
to the report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, there is a need for
more public awareness on the participatory
rights of the children in Cyprus.
The following actions have been taken towards that
end:
(a) Every year, through its “Children’s
Week”, the Pancyprian Committee for the Protection and Welfare of Children
continues its instrumental role in educating the public as well as professionals
working with children about the principles and provisions
of the
Convention;
(b) Children’s Week has a different theme each year.
The theme for 1997 was “Consumerism: Effects on
Children”;
(c) The prospective computerization of the Department
of Social Welfare Services will allow a better flow of information both within
and outside the Department on issues, policies and principles regarding
children;
(d) The Department of Social Welfare Services participates in
seminars, TV and radio programmes to promote public awareness and sensitization
to children’s rights, to family issues and services;
(e) The
establishment and operation of the National Institution for the Protection of
Human Rights in 1998 contributes to the dissemination
of information with regard
to the Convention but also with regard to all conventions dealing with human
rights. Thus the Institution
has currently prepared:
(i) a handbook about human rights;
(ii) a compilation of the treaties of human rights which are applicable in
Cyprus;
(iii) an anthology of the human rights cases dealt with by the Commissioner for
Administration;
(iv) an anthology of the cases of the Supreme Court relating to human
rights;
(v) a special edition of the concluding observations of the monitoring
committees established under international institutions; and
(vi) a seminar about the teaching of human rights in secondary education. This
seminar took place in Nicosia and Limassol. It will
soon be organized for
primary education as well.
Article 44
- The
report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended that more
attention be paid to:
(a) Systematic and comprehensive data
collection, appropriate indicators and monitoring mechanisms;
and
(b) Wider dissemination of the Cyprus report of the public and to
the authorities (e.g. the Parliament).
- The
prospective computerization of the Department of Social Welfare Services is
expected to improve the mechanisms of data collection.
- The
Department of Social Welfare Services has already published (in 1999) both the
initial and supplementary reports (submitted to
the Committee on the Rights of
the Child) regarding the implementation of the present
Convention.
- The
Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in the Family
(appointed by the Council of Ministers and selected
both from the public and the
private sectors) has already initiated a comprehensive study to improve the
understanding of the nature
and scope of child neglect and abuse in
Cyprus.
- Finally,
despite the fact that the various provisions regarding the rights of the child
are not contained in a comprehensive legislation,
effort has been made to
collect all the relevant provisions and bind them in an edition especially for
the rights of the child.
-----
[∗] For the initial report submitted by
the Government of Cyprus, see CRC/C/8/Add.24; for its consideration by the
Committee, see documents
CRC/C/SR.309-311 and CRC/C/15/Add.59.
The
annexes referred to in the report may be consulted in the files of the
secretariat of the Committee.
GE.02-45644 (E) 261102
WorldLII:
Copyright Policy
|
Disclaimers
|
Privacy Policy
|
Feedback
URL: http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/UNCRCSPR/2002/20.html